Reprinted with permission of oltiv.org and the witness whose testimony is below. It originally appeared on January 31, 2007. Now more than ever we need to spread the word about Our Lady of America and this apparition site in Rome City. Also known as Sylvan Springs, this site continues to be a source of miracles. Our Lady has asked that we bring her children to Rome City. It is open to pilgrims at any time presently, but the possibility of foreclosure looms closer. If you can help with any monetary donation please contact oltiv.org. As always your prayers for the recognition of Our Lady of America are most important. She has promised miracles greater than Lourdes and Fatima combined if we heed Her requests.
Witness Testimonial from First OLOA Pilgrimage on July 14, 2006
The following letter was cleared for submission after months of long and careful consideration by this person's spiritual director. It had been originally sent to two Bishops, who are on the record as being supportive of Our Lady of America, for their own discernment. This is something everyone needs to know.
As if to add a forceful punctuation to this person's personal testimony, Our Lady of America is credited with the instantaneous healing of another man within minutes of this apparition occurring.
The man who was healed during this event has continued to keep us informed of his condition and is also working to inform the Bishops of his special healing through the intercession of Our Lady of America. We give thanks for his continued good health. His original letter was posted here on January 3, 2007.
On July 14, 2006, during the first pilgrimage ever held at Sylvan Springs in Rome City, Indiana, I received a vision of Our Lady of America. This vision was in the same chapel where Our Lady is said to have appeared for the very first time as “Our Lady of America” to Sister Mary Ephrem, (Mildred Neuzil) on September 26, 1956.
I received this personal vision and interior locution from Our Lady during the evening prayer of the 15 decade rosary, following with the Divine Mercy Chaplet. I was sitting in the chapel in front of the location thought to have been originally our Blessed Mother’s altar upon which a statue of her may have stood when it was a convent in the 1950’s and also where the original vision is thought to have occurred. Now standing in that particular spot is a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. (This is important to note for future reference regarding my vision.) As you know, Our Lady appeared to Sister Mary Ephrem, (Mildred Neuzil) on September 26, 1956, in this chapel. During the apparitions of Sister Mary Ephrem, Our Lady promised her many things including that the United States would be protected against the coming tribulations, and that the United States of America, would lead other countries to peace, if her requests were met. One of the most important conditions, is for a statue in the likeness of Our Lady of America, as she appeared to Sister Mary Ephrem, to be taken in solemn procession into the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. and put into a place of honor.
I will now do my best to describe my experience of that evening. We were half way into the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary, and I had been praying with the group. I then found myself no longer being part of the group prayer and being led to look up at the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes and went into some type of “state” where I no longer was aware of anything around me except the statue. As I prayed with my lips moving, but in silence, I soon saw a vision of Our Lady of America. I could not hear my own voice or the words of others; just what appeared to be mumbling to me in the background. I knew I was praying the rosary, but saw nothing but the statue and the Vision, while I continued in prayer. I continued with the rosary, never concerning my self with the order in which I was now saying it as the prayers just automatically appeared to flow from my lips. In my vision Our Lady of America was to the left and slightly behind the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. She would have been to my right as looking up at her. She also appeared slightly above the statue; at least her crown did. She appeared more one dimensional than three dimensional in comparison to the statue. I never saw her complete full body though I know it was life size. What I saw as I continued praying was in my peripheral vision the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes and in my direct sight the vision of Our Lady of America. I have no doubt, that the only vision was that of Our Lady of America and the other was just the actual statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. Our Lady of America’s crown was a brilliant deep gold but the jewels were of blue, green, red and yellow, rather than red and blue as depicted in the original painting from the vision of Sister Mary Ephrem. That appeared to be the only difference I noticed. I was able to see clearly the texture of the crown and it appeared to be of a metal, but I am not certain. I saw each point on the crown and actually found myself stopping to pray to count the points, which were seven, as are in the painting. The crown was sitting on top of her head with what appeared to look like a white short veil draping from each side of the crown at an approximate 45 degree angle. What was unusual is that a misty gold hue covered her body, face and hair, and also covered what appeared to be the whitish veil. I saw absolutely NO detail of the face, which I thought was unusual at the time. I just saw the shape of the face, what appeared to be a veil, some hair and what looked to be her neck. The misty gold hue seemed to be a reflection off of her crown. Nothing was in exact true color except for the deep gold crown and the jewels in the crown. The rest of her body down from her neck was hazy and seemed to diminish down from there to a light wispy white/gold mistiness.
At some point of observing her, while still being aware my lips were moving in prayer, I heard her say to me very, very clearly in an almost desperately, pleading yet gentle voice, “Get Me There.” I knew she was speaking directly to me. The helplessness in her plea and the tone of her voice was very unsettling. If I had to emphasize what she sounded like, it was ----“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Get Me There!!” ----This was a cry for assistance, not a command----. I remember answering almost immediately in as desperate of a voice as hers ----“How?’’ I actually remember moving my lips when saying the word, though it did not sound audible to me. I then said it to her two more times in my mind--- “How?-- How?’” Unfortunately I never received an answer, but I could feel such deep concern from her it caused me to gasp within and I knew immediately she was speaking of the Shrine of The Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. I just knew it!! I did not need to ask her where. I knew if it were a different place she would have told me. She knew my thoughts! Her plea was said with such great urgency and concern! Up until that moment I had always thought she would get there in time; but now I myself was not so sure. I know she was, by her message, telling me not to take it for granted, but to really work at it NOW!! It was very unsettling for me because of the request and the helplessness I felt. I felt as a child disappointing her mother.
The vision disappeared after that and I found myself slowly coming back into the group prayer which by then was well into the Divine Mercy Chaplet. When I realized how far along the group was by the time I became a part of them again I knew I must have been in this “state” 15 to 20 minutes.
Through much contemplative prayer I have since been given the inner knowledge from Our Lady of America that the reason her facial features were not there was because she is not being “Recognized.”
T.W. in South Bend, In.
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